Skyward Sword: Demon Version
by KiraHenso
Summary: Hylia is evil and demon!Link must join forces with good!Ghirahim to free Demise and save the Surface. Oh, and Zelda is Link's sister who runs away from Link. A lot. Basically, a demon version of Skyward Sword. Really slow build. Pairings: Ghirahim/Link, Demise/OC, Impa/Zelda, and Pipit/Karane thrown in for hetero. Please review! I don't own Legend of Zelda.
1. Prologue

_This is a tale that you humans have passed down through uncounted generations... It tells of a war of unmatched scale and ferocity, the likes of which would never be seen again._

_One dark, fateful day, the earth cracked wide and malevolent forces rushed forth from the fissure. They mounted a brutal assault upon the surface people, driving the land into deep despair... They burnt forests to ash, choked the lands sweet springs, and murdered without hesitation._

_They did all this in their lust to take the ultimate power protected by Her Grace, the goddess. The power she guarded was without equal. Handed down by gods of old, this power gave its holder the means to make any desire a reality. Such was the might of the ultimate power that the old ones placed it in the care of the goddess._

_To prevent this great power from falling into the hands of the evil swarming the lands, the goddess gathered the surviving humans on an outcropping of earth. She sent it skyward, beyond the reach of the demonic hordes. Beyond even the clouds._

_With the humans safe, the goddess joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces, sealing them away. At last, peace was restored to the surface…_

However, you humans have been told lies created by your despicable goddess for generations upon generation! This foolish tale is merely your goddess' depraved way of justifying the slaughtering of my people, and I shall now tell you the true tale of the surface.

Suddenly, a door was slammed open and the light switch was flipped on. Squeaking, the authoress turned around and proceeded to glare at her OC.

"Kree, what are you doing here?!I'm busy trying to think of a good demonic version of this!" She growled, pointing at the computer screen. With a roll of his eyes, Kree shoved her out of the way and started typing at a ridiculously fast pace. A minute later, he turned, stuck his tongue out at the authoress, and walked out, slamming the door behind him. The authoress peered at the screen, and quickly read the new paragraphs.

_For millennia, demons have inhabited the surface, enduring raids of the sky dwellers, the humans. Your goddess ordered them to attack us and steal our greatest treasure, the Triforce. _

_Our ruler, Demise, was a kind and just king, who hated to see his people suffering. Our king led the counterattack himself, and distracted the goddess so that the magicians could complete the ritual to lock the goddess Hylia and her cursed humans above the clouds._

_However, Hylia noticed the demons' plan and cast a spell to seal the magicians away. King Demise threw himself in the way of her spell, sacrificing his life for the benefit of the demons. Only the heir of the demon throne can undo the seal placed on Demise, and the king had no relatives to name as his heir. _

_That leaves only one way to undo the spell. Someone with incredible wisdom, power, and courage must pass the trials set in place by the demon god, and then they must be granted the cursed flame of the three demon dragons. _

_Only then will the great demon god Asher bestow his blessing upon the chosen one. _

That was a hundred years ago, and still no one has been deemed worthy. Countless have attempted the trials, but not one could pass even the first of the many tests. However, that's all about to change…

Blinking, the authoress said, "Huh. It's actually not that bad." Looking out at a currently empty auditorium, the authoress said, "Please let me know what you think!"


	2. The Beginning

Long Author Note: Demons age slower than humans. It's about a ten to one ratio, ten demon years equal one human year.

I personally hated the Skyward Sword map. It has three places you constantly revisit. SO, using my awesome authoress powers, I used the map from the Ocarina of Time. The places not mentioned have the same name. I created a Deviantart account under the same user name and posted a general idea of the routes and in which sequence they are visited. Red = first part / Indigo = second part. I apologize if it is confusing.

Kokiri forest = Demon Village

Deku tree = Festival/ Royal palace/ Close to where Demise is sealed

Hyrule field = A place we have to travel through. A lot

Spirit Temple = Desert Temple

Lake Hylia = Lake Zora

Ice Cavern = Ice Temple

* * *

_The darkness stretched on around me with no end in sight. The air felt cold and damp against my skin and I shivered involuntarily. I knew that staying calm and rationalizing would be the best course of action so I began surveying the area, hoping for a hint. I had never seen a place like this, and I hoped to see some distinguishing landmark that could help me get home. I slowly rotated 360*, but saw only the continuing nothingness. _

_A bright light appeared right in front of me, rendering me blind temporarily. I squeezed my eyes shut and used my arms to help block out the searing brightness, but I could find no relief. _

"_The great Asher sends a little boy to defy me? Foolish child, you can never hope to pass the trials." A female's voice crooned, sickeningly sweet. A bell-like laughter resonated through the darkness, but soon turned into shrill, hysterical laughter._

"_Leave this place; you have no right to be here!" A man's voice boomed, reminding me of a lion's roar. Just as quickly as it appeared, the light vanished. Cautiously, I lowered my arms and opened my eyes. The owners of the voices were locked in a glaring match, so I took the time to inspect them._

_The woman had snow-white hair and skin, and her crimson gown matched the color of her eyes. She was pretty and seemed so soft and gentle. But an icy aura surrounded her and the unmistakable glint of madness in her eyes quickly destroyed the illusion of a kind young woman. I noted with envy that she was much taller than me. _

_The man was her complete opposite. His hair was the color of a moonless night, and the dark tan of his skin made the three pale scars on his face that much more prominent. His eyes were emerald green, and he was clothed in a simple white tunic and dark brown trousers. The man seemed violent at first glance, but I was quick to realize that his eyes held something that the woman's eyes lacked. The kindness I saw when I looked at his eyes let me know that the man, at least, could be trusted. I was also happy to see that we were about the same height._

_Not long after I finished my little inspection, the two gave up their staring contest in favor of watching me. I dislike being the center of attention, and quickly grew uncomfortable. "What?" I snapped, unable to contain myself._

_The woman made a noise of disapproval and promptly vanished from sight. The man chuckled softly, and started walking in my direction. Although I trust him to some degree, strangers make me nervous so my instant reaction was to take a step back. But my foot only met air._

_I frantically tried to reclaim my balance to no avail. Just when I thought I was done for, a hand grabbed mine. The man from before gently pulled me back onto solid ground, and smiled at me._

"_You have nothing to fear, my child. For I have sworn to always protect my children."_

* * *

"Link, Zelda says to wake up!" A voice crowed in my sensitive ear. Out of habit more than anything, I quickly slugged the offender in the jaw before collapsing back onto my bed, not bothering to open my eyes. By now, everyone should know better than to disturb _my _sleep.

"Ouch! Link, that's no way to treat your favorite brother!" Kree whined. Even though he was the eldest, Kree often acted more like a child than me. He was blonde, like Zelda and me, but his eyes were red, while Zelda's are green. My eyes are blue, which is a rare color among demons.

"Only brother," I grumbled. I'm not a big fan of talking, so I try to keep my answers as short as possible. A lot of demons in our village think I'm mute, and the rest say I'm antisocial. People can communicate just fine through body language, so there's really no point in talking.

Unless I feel like annoying someone. Like Kree.

As Kree sulked off, I slowly sat up. I glanced outside, and saw that it was already midmorning. Groaning, I stand and fix my bed sheets. I run my fingers through my hair to make myself seem presentable.

Quickly throwing on my best tunic and trousers for today's festival, I then head downstairs. Zelda is sitting at the table, a light pink sundress complimenting her pale skin. Her hair had been braided, a white bow keeping the complicated-looking hairstyle together. She gave me a small smile, and gestured towards the bowl of porridge across the circular table.

Kree had an important part in today's ceremony, so he likely left right after waking me. Today, we demons are honoring our sealed king while simultaneously celebrating the end of the Sky Raids. Each year, one demon that fought in the war is selected to lead the parade and give a speech. One of the retired generals was chosen, but died from a sudden heart attack. Since Kree was his sword, that knucklehead became the replacement.

Maybe I should back this up a bit. Our father was a soldier, and our mother was his sword spirit. It isn't uncommon for a relationship to form between a sword and their master. After all, a bond like that requires a high-level of trust and dedication. Even if the relationship they share is familial, or if they're just friends, most swords and their masters are very close.

While Zelda and I are demons, Kree is a sword spirit. There really isn't a 'half-breed', you either turn into a sword or you don't.

Anyway, I still had a bowl of porridge to eat and a limited amount of time to do so. So, with a mental sigh, I prepared my mind for the horror of eating the sticky grayish lump of tastelessness.

If only someone could have warned me about how complicated my life was about to become…

* * *

Thank you all my reviewers/followers/favoriters!


	3. To the Festival!

Author note: Sorry if I offended anyone by my comments on the Skyward Sword map (love3509). I love Skyward Sword, and it's map is beautiful, but I meant that I really don't like how there are just three areas you have to constiently re-explore. It seemed to repetitive to make a story out of. As for love3509's other concern, no need to fear. I'll add plenty of my personal landscaping. XP Maybe I'll add a swamp and make Link afraid of alligators or something. I never actually got a chance to play Twilight Princess or Ocarina of Time, so I'm just going with the flow.

Thank you to all my reviewers/favoriters/followers! Here, have a Remlit!

* * *

Heaving the ridiculously heavy picnic basket on to the wagon, I couldn't help but wonder if any rocks were in here. If not, then _why _did we need fifty pounds of food? A sharp tug on my ear brought me out of my thoughts.

"We need all of it," Zelda said in a sinisterly sweet voice, "because _someone _always lets his friends eat with us. I wouldn't have to make so much if you could tell them to bring their own lunch." She released my poor ear, and went to check on the horses.

Zelda may be one of the nicest demons in the village, but she's also one of the scariest. I've only seen her angry once, almost ninety years ago, and I _still _have nightmares about it.

"Hey Link!" Turning, I saw my two best friends, Pipit and Karane, jogging towards us. I smile and wave, unsurprised to see them together. After thirty years of puppy-dog eyes and subtle flirting, I finally snapped last year and locked them in a closet until they confessed.

Cliché yes, but also effective.

"Anything we can do to help?" Karane asks. I point at the pile of pottery and then gesture towards the stacks of paintings. Many demons set up stalls at the festival, and Kree thought it would be a nice way to make some extra money. Zelda loves to paint, so she happily agreed. I'm as artistic as a log, but Kree makes me help with the pottery part of our little 'business'. I make mostly ocarinas, which sound just fine, but they're not really that appealing to look at.

How they manage to sell, I'll never know.

Pipit starts lugging the heavier ceramics to the wagon, and Karane begins loading the paintings. 'Might as well go help Zelda…'

We have two horses. Well, a horse and a foal, but whatever. Storm, Zelda's stallion, is very easy to control, but Epona will only listen to me.

As predicted, Storm is already harnessed and is standing quietly in front of the wagon. Epona was in the process of trying to out-glare Zelda (which, from experience, I know to be impossible).

Epona must have smelled me approaching, since the mischievous filly turned away from my sister and pranced up to me. I chuckled at her antics. Zelda sighs, clearly upset that Epona still refuses to listen to her.

"Fine, Link can harness you. Don't take too long, we need to leave soon. I'm going to check on your friends."

I'll spare you the rest of the details of the packing and the trip. All you need to know is that it was long, boring, tedious and filled with cursing, crying, and me laughing at everyone else's problems.

'O'

Of course, with our luck, we managed to arrive at the hottest point of the day and had to set up our booth under the blistering sun. Even though there was a nice, cool, shaded area not _two feet _away from the chosen location.

When I pointed at that heavenly spot, Zelda scoffed and said, "How can our customers get a good look at what they're buying if we set up in the shade?"

From that moment on, I decided to never try comprehending female logic. It only causes headaches and confusion.

Finally arranging things to Zelda's satisfaction, me, Karane, and Pipit all took a seat in the shade. 'How can she manage to stay so princess-y in this heat?' I wondered, staring at my sister as she smiled and sweet-talked some sucker into buying three paintings and a vase. Not a drop of sweat was visible, which seemed impossible considering the temperature.

As if sensing my confusion, my sister gave me a smile and discretely pointed at a group of boys nearby. Looking closely, I realized three things:

The boys were using wind magic to shield Zelda from the heat.

They all had a love-struck expression on their face.

My sister is so very manipulative.

To be honest, my respect for Zelda just rose a few notches… And then fell again when I remembered that she wasn't sharing. I glared. She smirked.

My right eye began twitching in anger, so I decided to find Kree and annoy him. It was such a wonderful stress relief, and Kree can't hold a grudge for more than a second.

Kree, Zelda, and I have a good relationship for siblings, mostly since we all have a similar sense of humor. The three of us also have set boundaries, and we made those boundaries very clear to each other. Zelda doesn't like to be disobeyed, Kree doesn't like being mature, and I don't like talking.

By nature, I'm fairly defiant, so Zelda bossing me around annoys me. Kree is good at taking directions, and he's perfectly fine with me taking my anger out on him. It's just a big joke to him anyway, so no harm done.

Before I manage to get very far, Pipit calls me back. "Hey, can you come over for a second? We need to ask you something."

Even more pissed off now, I stomp back over and glare at my best friend. He rolls his eyes and gestures for me to sit beside him. With a sigh, I do.

"So," Karane starts, "We were wondering if you'd like going to participate in the tournament with us. Fledge got the flu, so he can't make it today. We didn't want to ask you, since you just came of age, but… It's either that or risk letting Groose's team win." At the mention of that pompadour-sporting brute, I make a face.

That creeper has had a crush on Zelda for at least hundred seventeen years, and has been bullying me for sixty-nine years, seven months, one week, four days, fifty-two minutes, and thirty-eight seconds… I have a good sense of time, don't judge me! It's not like I'm _trying _to keep track!

I hate him with a burning passion. So does Zelda, Kree, and all of our friends. He's mean, ugly, and is such a pest! Not to mention stupid. How does he expect to impress _my sister _if he's always trying to start something with me?

I nod, agreeing to help them. The thought of that pompous jerk winning the tournament was sickening.

Ever year during the King's Festival, groups of threes can enter a tournament, which test you on individual skills. One member takes the test of Wisdom, one takes the test of Strength, and the last takes the test of Courage. The winning team then draws lots to fight against their teammates. Basically, the last one standing is the overall champion. The 'champion' is given a chance to see King Demise's resting grounds, and is allowed to see our king's sealed sword spirit.

The winning team also gets a large sum of money to divide amongst themselves, and all three are offered a position as knights. Demons must be one-hundred sixty or over, which is why I've never participated before. King Demise is my hero, and I've longed to see the Sealed Grounds since their creation a century ago.

And there was no way I'd let Groose take this chance away from me!

* * *

Please review!


	4. The Test

Author Note: Sorry if this is boring, but I'm trying to make it similar to the game, and at this point we'd be in that cave near the waterfall. Which is easy, since it's the beginning.

* * *

The best part about being friends for one hundred forty-seven years – we know all of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Even though each test incorporates a bit of the other two, they mostly focus on one of the three. Karane was the clear choice for the test of wisdom, considering how much she likes riddles and things like Sudoku. Pipit is stronger than I am, when one only considers brute strength.

I can easily beat him with my superior agility and strategies. One would think that after seventy-some years of using the same tricks, he would catch on.

That left me with the test of courage. It made sense; I've survived living with _Zelda_, after all.

**Story time!**

On my fifty-eighth birthday, Kree and Zelda took my rock climbing. It was fun, and we had a nice little picnic on the top of the cliff we had just scaled. Things got ugly when we were about to go back down. I took one glance over the edge and decided that I liked my life more than I wanted to go home.

Zelda did not approve. She literally _pushed me _over the edge _of a cliff_. Kree dived after me in a panic. That was the day we discovered his special ability.

All sword spirits have a special ability. Our mother, for example, could manipulate gravity. It's said that King Demise's sword can teleport. Kree, apparently, can grow wings. I can't remember much of the whole 'I'm falling through the air' part, or even the 'hey, Kree caught me' thing. What I _do _remember is seeing a lot of green.

Kree's wings are reminiscent of dragon wings. The retractable appendages are huge, covered with unyielding black scales on the outside. The membranes, however are soft, leathery, and forest green. Since then, I've been… attached to the color. Not obsessed, just attached. There's a difference!

Or so I tell myself.

Anyway… That's one of the _many _life endangering situations my sister has put me through. I'm 99.99% positive that she's a closet sadist. Not that I'd ever risk voicing that opinion.

With our positions decided, we said good-bye to Zelda and went to sign up for the tournament.

* * *

As the three of us approached the sign-up booth, we were suddenly blocked by the three stooges. I glare at Groose, not bothering looking at Cawlin and Strich. I could crush them my little finger, but Groose would take my entire fist. If it comes to blows, Karane and Pipit should be more than enough for those lackeys, but the pleasure of pounding Groose's face in belongs to me.

"Hoping to enter the competition today? Oh, wait...I got it. You're here to talk about today's tests. I can see it in those dopey eyes of yours, Link. They're pleading, 'Oh, Groose, can you please find it in your heart to let me win today? Please!' As if!" The idiot sneered.

"We'll win, just wait and see! You're going down!" Karane shot back.

"I'd like to see you try, little girly!" Cawlin barked.

I rolled my eyes, pushing past the stooges. I signal Pipit and Karane to follow me, ignoring Groose's howl of outrage.

We approach the smiling overseer, eager to sign-up, and totally ready to kick some butt.

* * *

The three of us were split up as soon as the tournament began. I entered a dimly lit room with my fellow participants. I was unsurprised to see Strich among the crowd. Cawlin was the smartest of the stooges, and Groose was all muscle. That left Strich as the 'courageous one'. If all the others are as easy to scare as him, this'll be a piece of cake.

Suddenly, the ground rumbled, and a… signpost? - came up out of the floor. As the wimps cowered as far away as possible, I and a few others moved closer to exam the text.

_Only those truly courageous can pass. Turning back is not an option; the only choice is to adventure down the path veiled in darkness._

The words 'down' and 'veiled in darkness' stuck out at me. The floor around the sign had crumbled away when it rose out of the ground. A quick look around revealed no way out, save the one we entered from. I shrugged, and begin scaling down the hole. There are plenty hand- and footholds, so it's likely that I'm correct. I notice that no one has dared follow my lead.

'Wimps.'

With a sense of satisfaction, I continue down.

* * *

After ten or fifteen minutes, my feet finally are met with solid ground. I can hear some of the others beginning their descent. Probably due to a distinct lack of agonized screams. If I was someone else, I _would _start screaming, if only to buy some extra time. If it didn't involve using my vocal cords, I most certainly would. But it does, so I don't.

There's only one way to go, so I cautiously start down the tunnel. My careful steps pay off, allowing me to avoid several trip wires. When I reach the end, I notice something missing in the next room.

The floor, to be precise.

With a quick inspection, I find a rather thick ledge running along the right side of the room. Before I can make my way towards it, an explosion echoes through the room, coming from the tunnel. I smirk, knowing that some idiot just set off one of the traps.

It's almost disturbingly easy to get through the floorless room. I walk through the door on the other side, and see a vine swinging over a pit filled with spikes. Ooh, scary. Again, this task is easily accomplished.

The rest of the test is just as easy as the first part. Before an hour has passed, I'm climbing the exit ladder. All the tests have the same end, so teams can meet up and figure out their ranking quicker. I'm the first to finish, so I sit down to wait. About ten minutes later, Pipit and Karane exit their tests at the same time.

I smirk at them, silently gloating. Karane flips me the bird and Pipit glares. The couple sits beside me anyway, and Karane pulls a deck of cards out of her back pocket. If it was anyone else, I would have been surprised, but Karane always brings something with her to pass the time. Due to her love of card games, Pipit and I have both become master gamblers.

…Me more so than Pipit, but still.

"Strip poker." I demand, willing to use my words if it means playing the best game ever. Pipit pales, and Karane's expression reminds me of a scheming Zelda. And trust me, a scheming Zelda is _terrifying_.

'Maybe this isn't a good idea.'

In only thirteen rounds, I'm proven correct as Pipit ends up in just his underpants and I'm left with my trousers and one sock, while Karane is fully clothed. I forfeit, making a vow to learn how to cheat better.

* * *

I remembered how much I dislike Groose while writing this. I think I'll make it ZelImpa, and use Groose as a scapegoat. XP

BWT, thoughts on MPreg? Please PM me or review with you opinions!


	5. Before the Battles

Author Note: Sorry if you think this is a bit late. I'm typing this as I go and post as soon as I'm done with a chapter, so some postings may take longer than others. Sorry.

Please let me know if this is any good. And if my explanation makes sense.

* * *

It was no surprise when our team won.

My favorite part was when Groose's team came in dead last. While Karane, Pipit, and I were up on the stage being praised, I made a point to send the fuming red-head a smirk. I didn't think it was possible for his face to get any uglier, but then it turned the same shade of red as his hair.

A lesser man would have fainted at the horror. Me, I just laughed on the inside.

The down side of participating in the tournaments is missing the parade. Hundreds of floats and so many people throwing out free candy. All that free candy I missed… It pains me to think about it. Oh, and parade itself. Almost forgot about that…

The plus side of participating this year is getting to miss Kree's speech. Who knows what that idiot might have said? I shuddered on the inside, knowing that he would have found a way to embarrass me if I was there. With that in mind, I decided that the pros outweighed the cons. I can get more candy next year anyway.

The tournament organizers knighted us three, and we are each handed a knight uniform.

Each uniform is a different color, but they all consist of the standard stuff; chainmail, a tunic, a white undershirt, sturdier trousers, a thick leather belt, brown leather boots, and leather arm guards. Oh, and a cool hat.

Pipit's uniform is a yellow tunic and cream-colored trousers. Karane received an olive tunic and tan trousers. To my immense relief, I have been granted a _**green** _tunic and khaki trousers. I squealed when I saw the tunic. On the inside, of course.

The matching hats are wonderful as well, in my opinion.

Then, the head organizer turned towards the crowd. "As tradition dictates, these three brave warriors shall now battle each other. Of course, one of them will have to sit out for now. The other two will face off first, and the winner will take on the third member. The winner of that match shall receive the greatest honor of all, a chance to view the Sealed Grounds where our great king currently rests. With that said, let us begin!"

Kukiel, a cute little girl that lives near me, proudly tottered onto the stage carrying a black top hat. She stopped in front of me, and I saw three slips of paper inside.

"Now, if each of you could draw a paper from the hat, we'll know the match-ups." The man from before informed us.

With a mental shrug, I reached in and grabbed one of the slips.

'**Battle**', it read. 'Guess that means I'm up first.'

This will be fairly difficult. The three of us know each other's battle styles inside and out, and the consecutive battles will give me no time to rest.

"Will you please show us your slips?" The head organizer asked.

"Mine says 'Battle'." Pipit commented casually. Oh great, I get to fight the heavy-hitter first.

"I got 'Sit-out'." Karane told the man. I just shoved my paper into his hand, not willing to talk in front of so many people. He raised an eyebrow but made no comment.

"Now, we're going to move this to the battle grounds. We shall begin in an hour, to give our champions a chance to change and prepare themselves." He clapped his hands together, and the crowd began dispersing. A tug on my trousers had me looking down.

"Good luck, Link. I hope you win." Kukiel told me, admiration in her eyes. I gave the adorable little girl a kind smile. I love kids, they're cute, don't question things, and are easy to bribe. But I especially love Kukiel. She used to cry a lot when she was little, and her parents often complained about sleepless nights. They asked my parents to watch her for a night about ninety years ago.

I was learning how to play the ocarina at that point in time. Whenever I started to playing, she would stop crying. Her parents were so relieved when I let them record my playing.

I babysit her a lot, and I play a lot of games with her. I'm the one who taught her some basic self-defense maneuvers, which were quite useful against some of the meaner boys in our village. She gleefully described their pain-filled screams after she kicked them _there_.

My little protégé.

I nodded, letting her know that I have no intention of losing. She gave me a big, goofy grin in return. Kids are so cute. And they don't yell at me half as much as adults. The little girls are the cutest, and they're all so sweet. Too bad females are rare among demons.

The gender ratio for demons is two boys to every female. Since we had to endure attacks for thousands of years, our kind's reproduction systems gradually changed to fit our lifestyle. Most men are more physically capable than females, so we clearly needed more men to ward off the attackers.

This left demons with a problem, however. Less females means less children, and with so many dying in the Sky Raids, demons were on the brink of extinction. Three thousand years ago, the great priests begged Asher for his assistance.

I think they expected for him to increase the number of girls being born, but Asher had a different plan in mind.

With so many of our kind being men, homosexual relationships became common. I'm sure it must have been a big surprise when those relationships began producing children. And, since men are generally stronger than women, they're able to bear more than one child at once. Within the next hundred years, we demons were plentiful in numbers once again. It's rarer these days for a man to become pregnant, but not entirely impossible.

Not that it really affects me. I'm fairly certain that I'm asexual. Unless someone comes along that's perfect in every way, shape, and form, I'll just be alone forever.

And, let's face it, what are the chances of there being someone like that?

* * *

Henso: Oh Link, if only you knew what I have in store for you... (laughs evilly)

All of your reviews/ favorites/ follows are my insperation. Thank you for them!


	6. Pipit vs Link

Author note: Sorry if the fight scene isn't very good! My friend made an outline for me since I was clueless, but it was _way _to gory for a simple spar/ friendly fight. So, yead.

To Namesake: Yes, I did indeed take your advice! And Link doesn't have high expectations of romance, it was meant to come of as 'no one is perfect so I'll never fall in love' rather than 'someone has to be perfect for me to love them'.

To everyone: I apologize for the late update! Please forgive me! School is, well, school. No explanation needed, really.

* * *

I bend down, securing the buckles on my new boots. I double check my gear, knowing that even a single mistake could lead to my downfall. I would look pretty stupid if I lost because of a loose strap, which has happened before. It was the worst experience of my life, so I think my caution is justified.

The door creaks open, and Pipit looks in. "You ready pal?" I nod, picking up the short-sword provided to me. Pipit's over-sized broadsword was hanging on his back. His attacks are easy enough to evade, but they'll cause a lot of damage if I get hit. Honestly, Karane worries me more.

Her spear is light, and has a long reach. She may not be a heavy-hitter, but she could cause more damage than Pipit if I'm not careful.

We walk out into the arena together, and the stadium is filled with cheers from hundreds of demons. Pipit smirks and waves, arousing more cheers from the excited masses. I roll my eyes, way to use to his cocky attitude. An old man limps over, leaning heavily on his cane.

"The shorty goes to that corner," he snaps, pointing to the far end on the battle grounds, "and the mustard-bottle reject stays here." I can sense the vein twitching on Pipit's forehead, but short comments have stopped bothering thirty years ago.

I stride over to my appointed corner, in no hurry. A glare is aimed at my head, courtesy of the old man. I smirk, my love of annoying people shining through. When I reach the other end, I turn and face Pipit.

The man coughed loudly, and then announced, "Let's get this stupid thing over with. Remember, this ends when one of you receives a serious wound. If you were smart enough to study the knight's sparring manual, then you'll know what that is." He grumples, mentioning the pamphlet we were handed when we reached the arena. The old fart then immediately turned and walked through the door we just exited.

Pipit unsheathes his sword, raising it above his head, and then sliding into a battle stance. My sword is unsheathed by then, and I take off running towards Pipit, a cloud of dust left in my wake.

He swings and slashes down at me. I jump back; the sword hits the ground and is momentarily stuck from the force of the blow. I take this chance to make a slash at him. We leap apart, preparing for the next confrontation.

Blood steadily trickles down his cheek. 'Karane will kill me if that scars.'

Pipit rushes forward, and I leap to the right. He manages to intercept me.

His sword slash causes me to stumble. As I try to regain balance Pipit out of nowhere, tripping me. I fall back, but manage to lift my sword into a defensive position. Which is a lucky break for me, and I am able to block his next attack. As he moves back, I leap up and tackle Pipit. The surprise attack makes him lose the broadsword.

In a flash, I'm back up. I kick the hunk of metal out of his reach. However, I forgot about one very important fact.

Pipit has a habit of hiding a hunting knife in his boot.

I hiss in pain as the blade sinks into my arm. I break away, delivering a spinning slash in return. Luckily, I manage to land a hit.

Pipit kneels to the ground with a grunt. His knife is dropped in favor of clutching the bloody wound on his side. With the additional force from my momentum, I was able to pierce through the chainmail. It looked fairly deep, and was at least six inches from end to end. If I recall correctly: 'A wound to the right side that is deeper than ¼ of an inch and longer than five inches, then it is considered a 'serious' wound when sparring.'

"Well," he chirps, grinning up at me, "I guess you win. Nice job, Link!" He reaches up at me, maybe for a handshake, or maybe for a hand up, but quickly hisses in pain.

I frown, worried that I hurt my best friend more than I intended to, but the stubborn fool shakes off my worry. "This little scratch? No need to worry, it don't hurt too much."

"Doesn't, not don't." I whisper, correcting his poor grammar. It irritates me to an unbelievable extent when people don't use proper grammar. Instead of hitting him like I normally would, I pull a potion out of my pouch. I hand it to him, and he takes a gulp. It'll take a few minutes for it to kick in, but Pipit should be good as before long. I step behind him, squatting down. After looping my arms under his armpits, I haul him to his feet.

"Thank for that. I know that I can always count on you, pal!" He chitters, slinging an arm around my shoulder. You know, the one attached to the arm_ that he stabbed me in_. My arm is jostled, and the wound bounces off my chainmail. I make a note to take a swing of potion before fighting Karane.

But, for now, I just wrap my good arm under Pipit's and haul him over to the entrance.


	7. Karane vs Link

Author's Note: Happy Easter! For those who don't celebrate, Happy Random Sunday!

Sorry for the delay, I've been marathoning Criminal Minds. Thank you to all my wonderful followers, favoriters, and reviewers! You are my inspiration! I hope the fight scene is a bit better!

* * *

With Pipit healed up and sitting in the stands, I take a gulp of my heart potion before returning the half-empty bottle to my pouch. Karane is crouched in a battle stance, her spear thirsting for blood. In return, I draw my sword and spread my feet, balancing my weight to make blocking easier.

Karane is a tricky opponent. She's unpredictable, which isn't good for someone who likes to strategize. You know, like me. She moves quickly, and when she attacks, the blows are in rapid succession. At least one of her jabs is certain to hit.

I've found that the best course of action is to focus on blocking. If I get a chance, I'll counter, but I have the advantage if I can keep the battle going. Karane may be fast, but she doesn't have too much stamina. If I can drag this on, she's bound to mess up and give me an opening.

Since this is the main attraction of the festival, the stands are overflowing with cheering demons. No one is with us on the battlefield; all of them safely up in the stands. The first fight is stopped after the first serious wound. But that would be a bit boring for the main attraction.

There are three ways for this to end. Either one of us is knocked unconscious, is disarmed, or surrenders. Karane is stubborn, like me, so the last option is highly unlikely.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see someone tying a bomb flower onto an arrow. The moment that bomb explodes, the fight begins.

The archer is in position.

The fuse is ignited.

_Whoosh! _Finally, the arrow is released.

_KA-BOOM!_

As predicted, she's on me in a second. One of her strikes manages to tear the chainmail on my right arm, but no blood is drawn.

An opening. I take a swing, but she jumps back, avoiding injury. She circles me, a predator waiting to jump its' prey.

I keep my eyes on her, not willing to be caught unawares. She launches at me, aiming for my dominant hand. With a flick of the wrist, my sword switches hands. Her eyes widen, not expecting this.

I had been practicing in secret for years, and my left hand is just as capable as my right now.

Her surprise makes her hesitate slightly, but that's all I need. She grunts, a bleeding cut now on her thigh. She comes in for another volley of jabs.

My blocks are delayed, several small cuts now on my face, chest, and arms. I lash out, kicking her leg out. She tumbles to the ground, a yelp escaping her lips.

With no mercy, I slash at her right arm. She cries out, but holds onto the spear. Weakly, she stabs at my calf. By now, Karane is starting to get tried. She struggles to stand, but I want to finish this _now._

Karane is kneeling now, and I twist my sword, the hilt aimed at my friend. She's not paying attention, to busy fighting her weakening body.

I strike her head, not hard enough to leave lasting damage, but enough to put her under. She collapses to the ground, and I know I've won.

Before I can bask in my accomplishment, the ground begins to tremble.

'An earthquake? But those haven't happened since…' I'm unable to finish my thought, the cloud barrier our magicians constructed disintegrating before my eyes.

Thousands of humans on their war birds are lying in wait just beyond the barrier, and cheer as they swoop down to attack the defenseless demons in the stands. A squadron veers away, heading towards the festival grounds.

'Zelda's still there! But I can't just leave Karane…' I hesitate, but Pipit had vaulted over the fence separating us from the crowd.

"I got her, go help your sister!" He orders, scooping up his girlfriend. Knights are fighting off the humans up in the stands, so I won't feel guilty for leaving.

With a nod of acknowledgement, I take off towards my sister.

Zelda may be one of the strongest magicians in history, but her abilities lay in healing, not attacking. I pray to Asher, begging him to keep her safe until Kree or I can arrive.

The ground rumbles again, stronger than before. A wave of fear washes over me.

'Please let them be safe. I can't lose them too.'

When I was a toddler, our mom and dad were killed right in front of us by the humans. That night is burned in my memory forever. I _won't _let the humans take the rest of _my _family away!


	8. Earthquakes

Author note: Thank you everyone for your patience. Please review, it's my inspiration!

A special thank you to Namesake, who is my most dedicated reviewer!

* * *

The earthquakes had sent the demons into a panic. Asher was the god of the earth, and used these small earthquakes to warn of danger. The warning was a bit late this time, but I doubt that even the great Asher has time to monitor all of Hylia's schemes.

No doubt Hylia was one to break the barrier. Asher, for all that he loves us, tends to let us be. Hylia however, interferes with the lives of her people constantly. She carelessly uses her powers to manipulate them. She is so determined to rule both the sky and the earth that she ignores the needless deaths her actions cause. It's disgusting.

I dodge the panicking citizens, heading towards the spot where we set up the booth. It wasn't too far from the stadium, and I could see the tree we had sat under. The ceramics had all fallen off the table; many had been broken upon impact. Zelda was nowhere in sight.

I inspected the area, looking for clues. She may have left a note, or her footsteps might indicate the direction she went in. No luck. The earth was too dry, and she hadn't left a note. A shriek of pain drew my attention to the sky.

Kree was using his wings to stop the humans before they reached the earth. His sleek white blade was stained with blood, and the elegant silver hand guard shone in the sunlight.

His left arm had been cut; the blood ran down his arm. The green grip was stained red by the life-giving liquid. The large emerald imbedded in the pommel seemed to glow as Kree took down one of the many foes. There were dozens of Sky Raiders swarming him. Kree may be strong, but he was just a masterless sword spirit right now.

At full power, he could easily take them out. But, without a master, he can only use half of his full-strength. He spotted me, and pointed at the thick woods off to my right. His face was grim, and he appeared desperate.

To me, the message was clear. Kree wanted me to go after Zelda while he held off the Sky Raiders.

More likely than not, these humans had gone after Zelda. Kree arrived in time to stop them, allowing our sister to escape. The humans would have to walk in the forest, their birds unable to fly through the closely clumped branches.

And everyone knows that demons are not only faster, but they have enough stamina to run at full speed for hours.

I took off, praying that Asher would send Kree reinforcements soon.

I crashed through the underbrush, paying no mind to the thorns and barbs tearing at my clothes. I could hear something up ahead.

I soon arrived in a clearing, a pack of humans snapping to attention. There were five of them, all large, heavily muscled, and are easily 6'7. The odds were bad.

For them, anyway.

I draw my blade, dashing forward and slicing the Achilles tendon of the first human. He didn't even get a chance to draw his weapon. Not wasting a second, I slash his jugular. The rest rushed me, seeking vengeance. The second soldier swings wildly, but I'm too quick.

I dodge, getting behind him. I strike his head with the pommel, a blow that will likely cause him to bleed out. Two down, three to go.

The third one is clumsy, stumbling like an oaf. All I do is knock him over with a roundhouse kick, and his heads collides with a rock. The sickening crunch assures me that he is no longer a threat.

Number four and five are a bit smarter. The two circle me, getting ready to pounce. They charge at me simultaneously, one on the right and one on the left. There was just one flaw. They forgot to factor in my speed.

In the blink of an eye, I leap forward. The humans are too close and moving too fast causing them to collide. While they lay in a heap, disoriented and struggling to rise, I walk forward. They don't notice me. I show no mercy, slashing their arteries.

Demons may be vicious, but that is only because we are defending our homes. Quick, efficient killing is what we aim for. Injuries will heal, and that is one more human in the next battle. Causing them unnecessary pain is of no benefit to us.

I wipe my blade off on the grass before sheathing it. Who knows how far Zelda managed to get while I fooled around with these humans.

A flash of white catches my eye. Zelda is not too far off. Maybe she was hiding from these Sky Raiders. Sometimes staying still and waiting is a better plan than attacking or running. But why was she still running? Doesn't she realize it's me?

I frown, running after her. I don't get very far when the earth shakes, much harder than before. I stop, surprised. It's hard to keep my balance. I try to take a step, but I almost fall. 'Great, just when I'm getting somewhere.'

The trees around me are creaking in protest. _Rrriiiippp! _I look around, surprised by the noise. A tree was uprooted by the earthquake.

And falling straight towards me.

I can't make my feet move. I watch in horror as the tree looms closer. At the last minute, I close my eyes and turn my face to the side, putting my arms up in an attempt to protect my head. That's all I remember before an unyielding force pushes me down and the world goes black.


	9. The Fabulous Demon Lord Ghirahim

Author Note: We get to see inside Kree's head! Yay! Ghirahim shows up, and Link is a bit flustered.

It took me so long to get him in this... I'M SORRY GHIRAHIM! T-T

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~Kree's POV~

Sitting by Link's bedside, I couldn't help but feel as if this was my fault. 'If I had only gotten there just a bit sooner…'

First our parents were killed. Now Zelda has disappeared, and the doctors aren't sure when Link will wake up, or even _if _he'll wake up. I wanted to cry. I wanted to scream. I wanted everyone to know how unfair this is. I wanted to do all those things, so much that it _hurt _not to. But I can't.

I'm the cheerful, carefree one. Zelda may be in charge, but I'm what keeps us all together. Zelda and Link were so depressed after that particular Sky Raid. I couldn't stand seeing them look so sad. I started joking around, doing stupid things to make them laugh.

Later, when they grew up, they both became stubborn brats. Zelda and Link would have, would _still _be, fighting constantly if I wasn't there to break up their spats.

"What am I going to do?" I ask, hoping that someone, that _anyone_, will answer. The silence is suffocating to me. I bury my head in my hands, letting a few sobs escape.

~Link's POV~

I open my eyes, blinking in confusion when I see the ceiling of my room. I heard someone sobbing, so I turn my head towards the source. Kree is sitting there, crying. I hate it when Kree cries. He reminds me of a little kid, even when he's sad. I reach over, grabbing his hand.

He looks up, startled. I wipe away the tears, smiling at my favorite brother. He gets out of the chair, now kneeling beside my bed. Kree pulls me into a hug, gentle yet urgent. I pat his back in reassurance.

"Thank Asher you're awake! I don't know what to do. Link, we haven't found Zelda. What are we supposed to do without her?" He asks, sounding desperate.

"Nap." I order. He looks awful, clearly lacking in the sleep department. As always, he immediately follows my instructions. He pauses in the doorway, glancing at me over his shoulder. He's clearly worried about me.

"I'm fine." I assure him. Kree breathes a sigh of relief. He heads to his room, closing my door behind him. I swing my legs over the bed, feeling the urge to do _something _productive. Before I can stand, I hear something odd. It sounded like… a really creepy piano? It's like someone started to play, but stopped right after the first few notes.

I hear it again, coming from downstairs. On impulse, I follow the sound. On the steps I hear it again, louder than before. When I reach the kitchen, I'm surprised to see a diamond-shaped ruby hovering next to our front door. It phases through, the odd piano music trailing after.

It felt like someone was pulling me towards the crystal. My instincts took over then. I leave the safety of our house, the full moon looking down on me. 'Full moon? That should be days away. Was I really asleep that long?'

The creepy piano music comes back, redirecting my attention. I trail after the glowing red crystal. It takes me a mile to realize that we're heading towards the festival grounds. I frown slightly, but keep following the persistent ruby.

Before we reach them, the jewel starts down a barely noticeable pathway that leads deep into the woods. I hesitate for a moment, but continue following the diamond anyway.

Before long, the path widens. An ancient-looking temple is across from me, and a giant pit stretches between me and the crumbling structure. The ruby hovers onward, heading for the temple. The creepy piano music comes back, and I'm starting to get annoyed with it. I jump off the ledge I was standing on. With a sigh, I walk to the towering ruins. Well, they aren't ruins _yet_. The first floor looks intact, and the glowing door doesn't even have a crac-

'Glowing door?' I rub my eyes, but when I look again, the door is still glowing. I step closer to inspect it. As if sensing my presence, the door brightens then fades away. By fading away, I mean that the door vanished. 'Creepy doesn't even begin to describe this place.'

Peering in, I come face to face with the crystal. 'I was wondering where he went.' The red gem hurriedly floats into the temple. I reluctantly follow.

'Why am I doing this? I'm listening to a rock. A pretty, shiny rock, but a rock none the less. Is this place even safe to be in?'

The inside of the structure is completely different from the outside. It appears to be made out of white marble, with beautifully constructed columns stretch towards the ceiling. In the middle of the chamber is a pedestal. A lovely black rapier had been thrust into the middle of the pedestal.

The ruby was hovering over the rapier, but vanished before my eyes. I blinked, wondering what I should do now.

'I can either go back home and pretend like this never happened, or I can try pulling out the sword.' Going home was certainly the _safer _option. That sword might be cursed or booby-trapped for all I know. But… Something about it made me want to take that chance.

Decision made, I step forward and grasp the hilt. I pull up with all my might, but the blade slips out easily, causing me to stumble back a bit.

The blade glows briefly, but then a ball of light jumps out of it. 'A sword spirit?!' Sword spirits are able to reside in their sword, although most prefer not to.

The spirit, a male with gray skin, white hair, and dark purple eyes, is kneeling. His eyes are cast downward, and I can't help but wonder who he is.

My face feels hot. He's… very handsome. I snap out of it, feeling irritated with myself. 'Stop acting like a schoolgirl with her first crush!' I scold myself.

But, then the spirit speaks. His voice was deep and gravelly, but not in a bad way. "My king, it is a pleasure to see you again." I raise an eyebrow.

"King?" I ask, confused. He looks up now, startled. I cock my head at him. He seems so _weird_, regardless of how attractive he is.

"Who are you? How did you get here? Where is my King?!" He demands, standing up. He towers over me, but most people do. I groan internally. 'Too many questions!'

I point a finger at myself. "Link." Now I point to the entrance. "Door." And now I shrug. "Don't know." Wow, I think that's the most I've ever said at once. "Who are you?" I'm curious, so it's worth saying an entire sentence to find out who this spirit is.

He huffs, looking insulted. He then strikes a rather flamboyant pose. "Not that you deserve an answer, but I'll have you know that I am the great Demon Lord Ghirahim. Now, I'll ask you one more time _Link_," My spine tingle involuntarily, "Where is King Demise?" He vanishes.

Suddenly, someone is holding a sword up to my throat. A black rapier that is identical to the one in my hand. My face flushes as he presses up to me.

"Answer me." Ghirahim commands. The black blade is pushed against my throat, and I fell blood flow down my neck as the sharp steels cuts me.

'I just _had _to pull him out, didn't I? This is just my luck.'


	10. Ghirahim is a Jerk that Makes Link Talk

Author note: I tried. I don't think it's very good. I really wish my plot would just get to the fighting bad guys stage, but no. I wanted to make Ghirahim flamboyant while still showing his mild insanity. Please tell me how I did! Constructive critisism is appreciated!

Thank you everyone for your reviews/favorites/follows!

* * *

~Ghirahim POV~

My, my, this child is most certainly stubborn. I've given him _plenty _of time to answer my questions, but he simply _won't_. How bothersome.

'Maybe he really doesn't know…'

But, of course, I will _never _admit to being wrong. A fabulous demon lord such as myself making a mistake? Preposterous! However, just in case, I'll give him one last chance.

"Since you refuse to answer, I'll be taking you with me. Now, where did you say that door was?" I purr in his ear, amused by his blushing. I don't think I've ever seen that particular shade of pink before.

He jerks a thumb, indicating the space behind me. I find this to be _very _annoying. I know he can talk, so why doesn't he? If he is an enemy, I'll enjoy making him _beg_ for mercy. A stubborn child like him would be a _joy_ to break.

Either way, I spin on my heel, taking the blonde with me. I push the annoying midget forward. He glances at me over his shoulder. I would describe the look on his face as a death glare, but death glares are scary. He looked more like a kitten whose yarn was stolen. I gently poke the small of his back with the tip of my other form, and he reluctantly leads the way.

We are soon outside, but our surroundings are confusing. It appears to be the location of our latest battle against Hylia, but everything has changed. The encircling forest had pushed its' way forward, making the space much smaller. The building we just exited was brand new, yet it's cracked and crumbling_._ These changes couldn't have happened overnight.

Not knowing what else to do, I glare at the boy's back in anger. Everything he's said (which is very little, mind you) and done has given me more questions than answers. I'm almost tempted to end his pathetic life now, but that behavior would be unseemly on a demon lord.

I've decided to spare him, for now. I lower the other form, and he turns. His eyes seem to ask me why. Sadly, I myself cannot comprehend why I'm sparing him. All humans are enemies, so it would do me no goo-

'Except he's not human,' I realize. I had failed to notice his pointed ears, a clear sign of demonic heritage.

And humans are unable to wield a demonic sword spirit. Yet I took no notice of the fact that he was holding my blade this entire time.

As much as I loathe to admit being wrong, a lord must apologize for his mistakes.

"I must ask for your forgiveness. I hadn't realized that you were a demon until just now." I said, bowing deeply to show my 'remorse'. Most people would be astonished to see a demon lord apologizing. Most people would immediately reassure me that it was their fault, not mine. But clearly this child wasn't most people.

"Idiot." He snarled at me. My eye twitched in annoyance while a vein throbbed angrily on my forehead. 'That is the last straw. Demon or not, I'm going to run him through!'

I looked up, but the blonde had vanished. I blinked. 'How did I not notice him leaving?'

It was suddenly quite clear that a prolonged period of exposure to this midget was bad for my health. The mental variety, to be precise.

I locked onto his aura and teleported right behind him. We were now standing in the middle of a deep pit, one I had noticed earlier but paid no mind to.

The blonde was ignoring me, staring intensely at a stone memorial embedded in the earth. Curious, I stepped closer to examine the carvings chiseled into it. I freeze, my eyes locked on the carvings.

**Here Sleeps the Great King Demise**

My breath catches in my throat.

This isn't true, it must be a lie. It _has _to be a lie. I may not remember much of what happened before I was put to sleep, but Demise _can't _be dead. It's impossible!

~Link POV~

After a moment of staring at the king's resting place, I turn to confront that pompous, self-proclaimed lord. He's just standing there, gazing at the memorial with blank eyes. I raise an eyebrow, not quite sure what to make of this new development.

The pompous jerk whirls around, glaring daggers. "What is the meaning of this?!" I blink, not sure if I'm supposed to answer that.

"Battle. Hylia. Sealed. Last century. Idiot." I try. He gives me a blank look. I sigh. 'Great, now I have to speak in sentences. Stop asking complicated questions!'

"Hylia sealed King Demise a century ago during the last battle. You are a moron." I think I just died a little on the inside. I hate talking. So, so much.

"A century ago? I've been asleep that long?" He mumbles to himself. I roll my eyes, turning back towards the memorial.

'Wait, if this is where the king was sealed, then where's his sword spirit?' I'm embarrassed it took me so long to think about that. I'm also fairly certain that I already have the answer.

Like, literally, I think I'm holding it in my hand. But that would mean…

No. Not happening. Impossible. I'll move to de Nile if I have to, just no. I admire King Demise and his sword spirit.

There is no way the person I looked up to could be Ghirahim!

…I've just now realized that no one ever mentioned the sword spirit's name in any of the stories. All they ever said was that he could telepor-…

Ghirahim can teleport.

I hate reality so much right now. _More _than how much I hate talking.


	11. Link Throws a Book

Author's note: I'M SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG! (T-T) *wails* School was school, I got writer's block, and then this happened. More explaining, yay! Sorry, but there should still be one more chapter after this before we start our actual adventure.

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~Link's POV~

It's daybreak when I arrive home with my unwanted guest in tow. Ghirahim had been silent the entire walk, clearly deep in thought. Pulling out a seat, I then grab the self-proclaimed lord and push him into the seat. Turning around, I grab a book off the bookshelf near the stairs.

Placing "_A Century of Peace" _in front of the seated sword spirit, I then open the thick volume to the first page. It's a fairly recent publication that details the events of this past century, highlighting the many achievements and advancements our kind has made without the humans attacking us. It also begins by explaining the last battle and how our King was sealed.

"Read." I command.

"Demon lords don't take orders from peasants!" The flamboyant spirit snaps. Even so, he does as told and begins reading. While Ghirahim is busy, I walk up the stairs and silently open Kree's door. My brother is sleeping peacefully, mumbling incoherently while snuggling further into the blankets.

I close the door, glad to know that Kree is still asleep. That will make leaving much easier.

I know the general direction that Zelda was traveling in, and there was only one place that she could be heading towards. The Forest Temple, a dangerous place surrounded by monsters and infested with evil creatures. It is the first of the many trials that need to be conquered in order to be named the king's heir.

Although I'm still unsure as to why my sister is going somewhere so dangerous, I know that I have to follow her. Zelda's magic was of the healing variety, so she's defenseless against monsters.

I can't allow Kree to follow me. Without a master Kree is only at half-strength, making him a liability. We tried fighting together once, but it didn't work out. Our fighting styles are completely different.

But it wouldn't be fair to just up and disappear on my childish brother. Sitting at my brother's desk, I pull a sheet of paper from the drawer and write an explanation for my sudden absence.

My brotherly duty done, I head towards my room. Pajamas are _not _the best choice for fighting monsters, so I immediately change into my new knight's uniform. I grab the wooden shield from my closet, strap on my potions pouch, and secure my wallet onto the uniform's belt.

Now prepared for the journey ahead, I go back downstairs to find Ghirahim glaring at the book. 'What did the book every do to you?' I wonder as I continue to stare at the other man.

The sword spirit, as if sensing my unspoken question, looks up at me with a scowl.

"His majesty would never do something as idiotic as jump in front of an oncoming spell! He wouldn't have even given the wench enough time to cast it! And how to you explain the fact that I have no recollection of this? I can easily recall the entire battle, but I remember none of this nonsense ever happening!" Ghirahim growls.

'Someone has trust issues.'

Not bothering to make a comment, I go and pull another book off the shelf. Setting "_Notable Sword Spirits" _on top of the other book, I turn it to page number six hundred sixty-nine.

_Another notable sword spirit of noble blood is King Demise's sword spirit. To keep our magicians safe as they cast their spell, he took on a horde of humans and their enslaved monsters. As the knights engaged the other humans and King Demise distracted Hylia, the spirit guarded the entrance to the Sacred Temple where the magicians had gathered._

_But even the mighty fall in the face of overwhelming numbers. Although he managed to hold out until the magicians had succeeded, the sword spirit collapsed soon after from his numerous wounds. Asher, in his infinite kindness, took pity on spirit. Asher put the spirit under a deep sleep so that his body may focus on healing. However, no one knew how to awaken the spirit from his slumber._

_The decision was made to place his sword form inside the Sacred Temple, so that he could be close to our king. After placing him there, a door appeared, sealing everyone outside. To this day, no demon has succeeded in opening the Sealed Temple. And even though the rest has crumpled away, the walls sealing our lord inside remain standing._

… 'Well I clearly forgot that entire last paragraph. And the fact that the Temple was right next to the Sealed Grounds. But really, how do you write this much about someone yet never _once _mention their name?'

The demon lord looked ready to argue, so I threw the book at him. He talks too much. I liked it better when he was quiet.

"What in the name of Asher is wrong with you?!" He howls in outrage.

"Forest Temple. Fight Hylia. Join me?" I say in a bored tone. He seems surprised by the question.

'Well the door _did _magically fade away when I got close, so that must mean something, right?' Instead of saying this, I hold out the black rapier that was still in my hand. He seems to get the message.

"…Fine," He huffs, turning his nose up, "But I _will not _refer to you as my master, nor shall I consider you to be my master. We are merely cooperating due to our similar goal. Agreed?"

I immediately nod my understanding. No one in their right mind would want a pompous sword spirit as their partner.


	12. Ghirahim Has Bipolar Moodswings

Author note: Sorry guys, but I couldn't find a Rent-A-Muse site _anywhere. _Hopefully you can forgive the suckiness of this chapter.

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~Link's POV~

We set off for the Forest Temple just after dawn, and now it's well into the afternoon. Apparently it takes a lot of energy for Ghirahim to teleport anyone other than himself, so I'm stuck walking while he naps in sword form. I'm starting to wonder how egotistic psychopaths can be so attractive.

…I'm also wondering how anyone could pull off that ridiculous outfit of his.

My musings are interrupted by ear-splitting shrieks and a deep gravelly voice crying out in surprise. My curiosity gets the better of me, so I head towards the noises. And then immediately start regretting my decision.

Just below the cliff I'm standing on is a horde of ugly red monsters in loincloths surrounded a large… boulder-like thingy. Of course, I spot the trail leading to the Forest Temple right behind those things. Well, only on the off chance that I'm actually reading the map correctly. If not, then I blame Ghirahim.

With a sigh, I pull Ghirahim's sword form from the sheathe he gave me. The elegant black rapier has excellent balance, and the hilt fits comfortably in the palm of my hand. Leaping over the edge, I waste no time in striking down the first of the red things. The rest notice me, and I'm soon surrounded.

A simple spin attack knocks all of them back. The nearest monster is defeated in an instant, but the rest had struggled back to their feet. Before they have a chance to surround me again, I quickly turn and run towards a much narrower part of the clearing. The red creatures can't attack me from behind now.

Forced to take me on one at a time, the stupid monsters are decimated in seconds.

In a whirl of diamonds, Ghirahim appeared in front of me. You know, after I just wasted five minutes of my life killing a dozen monsters.

"A piece of advice, midget. Don't try talking to the Goron, they rant about useless topics and will only waste precious time. If it tries to thank you, run away." Ghirahim said with a serious expression. 'Precious time? If time is so precious, why didn't you appear five minutes ago and help kill those things!'

I return the rapier to its' sheathe, glaring at the sword spirit as I do so. With a huff, I plop down on the grass and cross my arms like a defiant child.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Growls Ghirahim, tapping his foot impatiently. I stick my tongue out at him turning my head to examine an interesting patch of grass. I look up at the sound of him snapping, only to jump when a hand grabs my wrist. Hoisting me up, the demon lord then snarls at me.

"I have played along with your childish tantrums until now but clearly that was a mistake. You may be acting as my master, but _I _am the one with the authority around here. The next time you decide to throw a fit, just remember that there will be consequences." The demon lord seethes.

Before I can answer (to be honest, I was about to kick him. I doubt that weird outfit of his offers much protection _there_), Ghirahim begins dragging me towards the pathway. I stumble along, surprised by the sudden action. I cry out as I almost fall but he continues on, causing me to whine quietly as this puts a strain on my shoulder.

Sick of being treated like a rag doll, I try to dig my heels into the ground. Keyword: try.

The sword spirit was apparently feeling a bit violent, unfortunately. Before I know it, I'm flat on my back with a sword point resting lightly on my neck. One gloved hand is holding both of mine above my head, and my legs are pinned beneath Ghirahim's weight.

He leans closer, his lips just barely grazing the tip of my pointed ear.

"Do not take me lightly. From now on I expect your full cooperation. My orders aren't to be questioned, neither by words nor by actions."

Suddenly, I'm very glad that our current position doesn't give him a good view of my face.

'This is a _really _bad time to be remembering how hot you think Ghirahim is.' I snap at the irrational portion of my mind. It can't seem to hear me over its' squeals of joy. '…Damn it.' I curse as I try not to blush any more than I already am.

Without any warning, the sword spirit transforms into a familiar crystal before returning to the sword lying at my side.

'… I'm really beginning to hate my life now.'

* * *

After at least an hour of wandering around in circles, I finally crumple up the crudely drawn map and throw it into the dirt.

The sun is starting to set, my only canteen was pierced by a sword-wielding troll, and I haven't eaten in days. Can my life get any worse?

Taking a path that wasn't on the map, I'm instantly greeted by the sight of ugly trolls in loincloths.

'Of course.'

The three creatures very crowding around some weird plant, but they soon noticed me. Unsheathing the black blade, I get into a battle stance.

The monsters rush forward, screeching in that annoying way of theirs. I dash forward, cutting off the first troll's head with a single slash. One of the remaining two cries out in anger before taking a swing at me.

Leaping out of reach, I use my sword to knock the monster's weapon out of its' hold. It lunges forward and scratches my face with sharp, tiny yellow nails. I thrust the rapier through its' chest, praying to Asher that the wounds don't get infected. Just thinking about what might have been under those fingernails is enough to make me gag.

The last troll runs into the woods, but I don't bother going after it. Instead I approach the plant I noticed earlier. Picking up a long stick, I prod the shaking shrub. It squeaks and jumps up. The green leaves disappear, and a bird like creature is now standing before me.

Ghirahim decides to appear, thus scaring the quivering bird-plant even more. It squeals and runs up a sandy slope then disappears from sight.

"Hmm, I don't remember Kikwis being so easily frightened before. Maybe all those Bokoblins are making them nervous." I take note of what he calls the creatures. I assume that the bird-plant is a 'Kikwi' while a 'Bokoblin' is what those red things are called.

"Are Kikwis edible?" I ask Ghirahim as my stomach grumbles. He glares at me but doesn't answer. Instead, he snaps and disappears. I would normally be angry, but all the fighting I've done is starting to catch up with me.

Suddenly very sleepy, I locate a decent-sized tree and find a comfortable spot in the branches. 'A little nap never hurt anyone.'

* * *

The sun is very persistent in waking me up the next morning. Growling, I twist my head away from the blinding light. Feeling my nose bump against something, I reluctantly open my eyes. Two large yellow fruit are resting beside me, and I am startled to find Ghirahim's cloak covering me.

Biting my lip, I decide rethink my first impression of the demon lord.

'Maybe traveling with him will be better than I thought it would be.'

* * *

Please review! They motivate me!


	13. Kree Needs A Hug

Author's note: Kree is back! And angsty. I kinda feel bad for him. I tried explaining more of their culture, but I'm not sure if it makes sense to anyone other than me. The villians are introduced and Kree just needs a hug. Please review and make sure to give Kree a hug.

* * *

~Kree's POV~

I'm awoken by a bright light shining in my eyes. With a groan I turn over and pull the covers over my head, but now that I'm awake I can't fall back asleep.

I roll onto my back and stretch, groaning as my back cracks. Hopping out of bed, I suppress a yawn as I begin straighten the covers and return my pillow to its' previous position. I don't know how, but my pillow always ends on the floor near my closet.

I pull out my favorite green tunic and black trousers. As I pick up my fingerless white gauntlets and my white belt, I notice a note lying on my desk. I finish getting dressed before going over and reading the note.

_Leaving to find Zelda. Will refrain from doing anything dangerous. Don't worry. Stay there. Do not get in trouble. Remember to eat and sleep. _

_-Link_

My entire body tensed as I finished reading. Releasing a shaky sigh, I sit down on my bed. The demons' territory was protected from monsters by a magic barrier. Sadly, holy magic only works on monsters so the spell doesn't affect the humans.

But no one has left the safety of the barriers in almost two centuries. Demons can pass through the force field with no problem, and the forest Zelda was in was right on the edge of the barrier. If she had remained in demon territory then someone would have found her by now.

Tears pricked my eyes, but I paid them no mind. My poor baby brother and my little sister were in danger, and it was clear that Link thought I would only hold him back.

"I hate being alone." I whisper to myself, curling into a fetal position and burying my face in my arms. "Everyone keeps leaving. It's not fair. First mom and dad, then General Crowly, and now Zelda and Link. I hate it."

I'm tempted to lie down and go back to sleep, but I'd rather not sleep in an empty house. Then I remember the place General Crowly always used to take me after the war. It always felt safe there.

Uncurling from my previous position, I consider it. I really wanted to go, but Link told me to stay in the house. Well, he hadn't really specified what he meant by 'there', but I know what he was trying to say.

"Just this once," I promise myself, "Link doesn't need to know about it. Besides, I'm older so why should I let him tell me what I can or can't do." Normally I like a set of instructions or guidelines to follow. But right now, I need some type of comfort. And any place that reminds me of Crowly is comforting.

Biting my lip, I grab the short, hooded white cloak hanging on a hook near the bedroom door. I unclasp it, pausing to run my fingers over the layer of chainmail sewn on the inside. Zelda had given it to me as a gift on my last birthday.

"_Because a trouble magnet like you needs some extra protection."_ She had said. I smile at the memory before wrapping it around my shoulders and redoing the clasp. I summon my other form and attach the sheathe to my belt. Now I'm ready for anything.

The streets are practically deserted despite it being just after noon. Most demons would be out shopping or playing or hanging out with friends at this time of day. But with the humans capable of attacking whenever they wish, everyone has bolted their doors and locked their windows. The empty streets make me feel even lonelier, so I hurry towards my destination.

General Crowly was a close friend of King Demise, so he would come to the Sealed Grounds about three times a week. He only brought me along once or twice a month. Although I never got to meet the King and his sword spirit, I admired them greatly.

During the war I was too young to be useful in an actual battle, but General Crowly told me that my other form was remarkably strong. All I needed to do was learn how to channel my energy into my sword form. General Crowly also taught me how to fight with a sword even though most sword spirits don't actively participate in battles.

I breathe a sigh of relief as an overwhelming yet gentle power surrounds me. Sword spirits with animalistic traits or abilities can generally sense how powerful a potential master is. Dragons aren't really animals, but they must be close enough.

The thought of King Demise being a potential master was horrifying at first. Only a nobleman or a noblewoman are allowed to serve at our ruler's sword spirit. I was also embarrassed when I realize what was going on. A sword spirit shouldn't have a potential master who already has a sword spirit.

But just because someone is a potential master doesn't mean anything.

I several potential masters, but I don't feel right when they wield me. For a demon to be a potential master they either have to use a fighting style that compliments your blade, or a personality that won't clash with yours.

But General Crowly used to tell me about a 'red string of fate'. He said that a master should be connected to their sword by a red string.

I was confused at the time, but now I think I understand. Asher is the god of the earth, but he is also the god of the forge. The priests and priestesses say that he made our sword forms himself.

I think Asher had someone specific in mind when he made our other form. But if you can't find that person, or if they pass on before you can meet them, then you have potential masters to wield you instead. Being made for someone sounds like something out of Zelda's romance novels, but it's still a nice thought.

Humming 'Din's Power', my favorite out of the Three Goddesses songs, I skip to the Sealed Temple. Whenever I visit the Sealed Grounds, I always make sure to pray for the King's sword spirit before I pray for King Demise. He's like me, so I think praying to Asher for his awakening should come before praying for King Demise's unsealing.

But when I get close enough, I notice that the door is gone. A magical door that randomly appeared one hundred years ago has now randomly disappeared. 'I _do_ _not_ want to be the one explaining that to the Council.' Just thinking about it makes me shudder. The Council is basically a group of stuck-up aristocrats that took over in Demise's absence. While they can't make any major decisions or pass any meaningful laws, they have made life harder with steadily increasing taxes.

But the worst part is that they throw people in the dungeons for the most ridiculous things. Last I heard a shepherd was sentenced to a year in the dungeon for having too many sheep. The sheep were all confiscated and served as the main entrée for the dinner party the Council had a day later.

Curious, I walk forward cautiously. It's really pretty inside, even though everything outside is all crumbly and mossy. The short passageway opens up to a massive room. In the center of the room is a pedestal… with no sword in it.

'…What?! Isn't King Demise's sword supposed to be there? The Council is going to be so pissed off when I tell them. I don't want to be thrown in the dungeon!' Focused on my internal freak out, I fail to notice the group standing in the entryway to the temple.

"Master, I calculate an 85% chance that our target has vacated the premises long before our arrival." A distinctively female voice monotones. Spinning around I swore quietly as I caught sight of a human and one of their artificial sword spirits. The blue spirit is hovering just behind her master, a tall brunette man with violet eyes who was sneering at me.

In front of both of them stood a woman I instantly recognized from the legends. Hylia, the goddess of the sky, was once again openly interfering with the lives of her people. My guess is that they came to destroy the magic door and kill the sleeping sword spirit within.

I was happy that Hylia wasn't getting her way, but then I realized that I was the only one around for her to take her anger out on.

"No need to worry, you will likely find him and his new master in the Forest Temple." Her sickeningly sweet voice was enough to give me a headache.

Her pet human stepped forward. "What about _it_?" He asked, fingering the hilt of his sword. I had a sinking feeling that he meant me.

The goddess hummed, tilting her head slightly. "I know," Hylia said, smiling at me, "How about an experiment. How long do you think a sword spirit can survive without food, water, a limited amount of air," I snorted at that. All I had to do was wait it out in sword form and none of that would affect me, "And without the ability to turn into a sword?"

'… Should have seen that coming.'

She casts a spell, and my sword form disappears from my side. I try to re-summon it, but find myself unable to. With one last smile, she casts another spell and I'm left staring at a new magical door.

"Well I'm screwed."


	14. Ghirahim Needs His Ego Deflated

Author Note: I'm so sorry this took so long! My muse was being fussy and then school started, and will someone please tell what the point of learning pre-calc is, because I can't seem to find any practical use for the stuff they're teaching us.

This chapter is more of a kick in the pants for my muse than anything, so sorry if it's short!

* * *

~Link's POV~

Remember when I said that traveling with Ghirahim might not be as bad as I thought it would be? I was right.

It's ten times worse.

"Quit dragging your feet! We should be there soon!" He said, cutting through the vegetation in our way. I glare at his back. Of all the sword spirits in the world, why did I have to get stuck with the most stuck-up, egotistical, self-absorbed spirit of them all?

'I've been the one fighting all the monsters! You just stand back and let me do all the work!'

Caught up in my thoughts, I didn't notice the demon lord coming to a halt. Ghirahim turns his head and growls at me as I bump into him, but he doesn't move.

"What?" I ask. I hate talking, and he's made me talk more in these last few days than I have in years. But apparently he can't understand me without words, so it's a necessary evil.

'For now. When this is done, I'm going to kill him. For each word I say, he gets one more stab wound.'

Stretching to peer over his shoulder (this height difference is getting _really_ annoying), I see **another **squad of bokoblins. Sighing in resignation, I step out from behind the prissy sword spirit and attack the closest of the red nuisances.

For some reason, this one is wearing a helmet and carrying a horn of some kind. Slashing at it, I turn my attention to the other bokoblins as the first one falls to the ground. Based on my previous fights, they all seem to die after they fall down.

Ugly number two charges forward. I swing my sword down, expecting to slice the thing in half. But this one moved blocked my sword instead of trying to attack me. Dodging another monster's attack, I notice the helmet-wearing bokoblin from earlier raising the horn to his lips and blowing.

More of the creatures come charging at me from seemingly nowhere. Surprised, I don't notice the bokoblin creeping up behind me. A screech alerts me to its presence, and I spin around, bringing up my shield to block the hit.

But instead of coming face-to-face with one of the red beings, I find Ghirahim standing in front of me.

~ Ghirahim's POV ~

'Why did I bother helping that brat?' I had moved on impulse, and now I slicing through the red monstrosities alongside the midget. A demon lord such as myself should only fight to protect his master, the King!

With my remarkable abilities, we (mostly _me_) kill the rest of the eyesores in a matter of minutes. Now the brat is staring at me, eyes narrowed in contemplation. He blushes and looks down before mumbling a quiet "Thank you."

Disgruntled, I only 'hmph 'ed in response. I hadn't expected him to say anything, let only for him to thank me. I'm more used to the bratty demonling who disobeys every order given to him and glares at me whenever I speak. Honestly, a peasant like him should be ecstatic to be able to listen to my magnificent voice.

Examining our surroundings, I spot the lank mark I was searching for and walk over to it. The temple entrance is close, and soon I will be one step closer to awakening my true master.

~ Kree's POV ~

After walking all the way around the chamber, I slump to the ground in defeat. There's no visible weakness in any off the walls, and I'm really just wasting precious oxygen and energy by walking around so much.

Earthquakes have been occurring on and off for a while now, so I can't help but wonder if the humans have attacked again.

"Why did I have to come here? If I had waited an hour, or even a couple minutes, then I wouldn't be in this situation!" I sigh, curling up into a ball "I have the worst luck ever."

An earth-shaking (literally) RROOOAWWWRRR! had me leaping to my feet…

But I fell on my face as the ground shook violently. The shaking didn't stop; in fact it only seemed to grow worse. It's a miracle that the ceiling didn't collapse on me!

"Can this situation get any worse?!"


End file.
